


Stuff That Works

by LilyAnson



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bees, Castiel & Sam Winchester Friendship, College teacher AU, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Rare Pair Big Bang 2018, anti-Dean, learning to love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 02:31:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17758100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyAnson/pseuds/LilyAnson
Summary: After finally receiving a teaching position at a college Cass moves to a new city.  He meets a few of the other professors at a meet and greet before classes start and finds himself stunned by how comfortable he feels in their company.  His relationship with Dean continues to deteriorate and Cass finally decides to call things off for good.  Can he actually manage it or will he fall back into old patterns?





	Stuff That Works

  
  
It was hard to believe despite the burst of nervous excitement thrumming deep inside his chest. He stared at the letter in nervous trepidation. Cautiously he opened it and read the neatly printed words contained therein. Shaking his head his mind still refused to believe what he’d just read. He’d already read through it three times but still couldn’t seem to process what it meant. Through it all one word continued to reverberate through his mind. Accepted. His application had been accepted. He was going to become a professor. Nope, he still couldn’t process it.

“Well?” Sam pressed.

Sam, Dean’s brother, was probably Castiel’s closest friend. It was actually through that friendship that he’d even met Dean. Initially Sam had tried to talk him out of dating Dean but Cass had, for once, thrown caution to the wind. Instead of logic he had allowed his emotions to dictate his actions. Castiel had never been what most would have considered popular so he was completely unused to being hit on by the “hot guys”. Not only was Dean good looking but he was charismatic and popular. While Cass never understood why Dean had taken an interest in him he also wasn’t about to question it.

“Well?,” Sam repeated, sounding somewhat exasperated.

“I’ve been accepted....,” Cass whispered, his voice so low it couldn't be heard as he continued to stare disbelievingly at the letter.

Shaking his head as he heaved a sigh of impatience, Sam grabbed the letter out of Castiel’s hands. Reading through it himself he began to smile, warmth replacing the exasperation in his gentle hazel eyes. Cass sat still, unable to process the news, still completely stunned as Sam looked up to meet his gaze.

“This is great news. When are you going to tell Dean?” Sam asked expectantly.

Cass felt his stomach clench uncomfortably at the thought of telling Dean. Dean wasn’t the most predictable person. Chances were good, but far from certain, that Dean would be happy about the news. Castiel chewed on his bottom lip while he thought about it.

“You should call him,” Sam urged. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

“I wouldn’t want to get him into trouble while he’s supposed to be working.”

“You know Bobby will want to know as well,” Sam pointed out. “He’s not going to get mad because you called tell Dean about this. He may actually get mad if you don’t call to let him know.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Castiel conceded.

“I know I am.”

“Okay fine,” Cass finally agreed with an upon sigh. After all, Sam did have a point. If he didn’t at least let Bobby know as early as possible he would never hear the end of it.

-

Staring at the passing scenery Cass almost still couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Even packing up his belongings it still hadn’t seemed real. Now, riding in the passenger seat of Dean’s car, the last of his belongings packed in the trunk, classic rock blaring through the speakers Cass was still having trouble adjusting to the idea. Occasionally Dean would say something and Cass would nod or hum a reply distractedly in response.

Only now was everything just starting to sink in fully. They really were moving to a new town and he really was going to be doing the one job he’d ever wanted to do for as far back as he could remember. Maybe, just maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps this could be good for them. Just maybe they would be able to put everything behind them and start fresh. A smile slowly pulled at the corners of his lips.

A new town and a new start sounded good Cass thought as he stared distractedly at the mostly flat landscape. A few random oak trees occasionally dotted the scenery but not many and not often. As the weather was nice they drove with the windows rolled down rather than run the air conditioning. So far everything seemed to bode well. Cass fervently hoped it was an indication of the future to come when they finally arrived.

-

“Do I really have to go?” Dean whined. Flopping down to lay sideways across the bed and turning his head to face Cass.

“Dean,” Cass huffed. “You promised. Remember?”

“I know but I’m tired. Besides, what would I even do? It’s just going to be a bunch of highbrow, intellectual, I’m better than you types. It’d be completely boring.”

“Really Dean?”Cass asked turning to face Dean more directly. “You do realize you’re talking about me and the people that will soon be my coworkers, don’t you?”

“Look, I know you really-”

“You promised. You’re going and that’s it, now go get ready.”

Still grumbling Dean finally pushed himself off the bed and headed for the bathroom presumably to start getting ready. Cass shook his head and moved to the closet. He needed to start getting ready himself. Staring at the articles of clothing, Cass tried to ignore the sinking feeling inside of his chest. Even though they’d been together for a while he really wished he and Dean were closer. Dean hadn’t even seen fit to leave more than one or two changes of clothes at the apartment. It made Cass a bit apprehensive when it came to their status. Now that Cass had managed to secure a position as at the college teaching theology, hopefully things would start to change for the better. Removing the suit he intended to wear Castiel snagged his dress shoes and inspected them to ensure they were presentable enough.

-

It wasn’t that he disliked people per se. It was more that he disliked frivolity. He could completely do without these little meet and greets. In fact the only reason he was still here was probably because of Hannah. Only her begging and her insistence that she not be left alone with whatever her brother might do was why he remained. If there was one of his coworkers he could actually understand or like it was her. Her brother wasn’t too bad either. Well, not for a one night stand or two. Of course telling Hannah that was out of the question. She vastly preferred not to know what her brother got up to and Cain really didn’t like or do the kiss and tell thing.

Downing his drink he listened to the last of the inane conversation was before excusing himself. He really wished there was at least one person here who could hold a decent conversation. Nearing the table with the drinks he sighed. It wouldn’t be too bad if he could just find even one person who he could talk with at these events. Most people here were more concerned with either bolstering themselves or one upping each other. All of which Cain found insanely boring and pointless.

As his scanned the room he noted two people he’d never seen before as they entered. One of them, the taller one, was dressed nicely but instead of a suit jacket he wore a leather jacket. His brown hair was carefully done in perfectly styled spikes. He couldn’t stop the feeling his outfit was meant to garner looks. He was exactly the type of guy everyone noticed in a crowd. In spite of this, he wasn’t the one really stood out to Cain. Without even thinking he allowed his feet to to move him closer. There was just something about those eyes…

The sound of someone nearby clearing their throat snapped him out of his reverie and back to the realization that there were other people here as well. Doing his best to downplay how distracted he’d actually been Cain turned and nodded at the new arrival. At least it was only Hannah he noted with a mild sense of relief. They actually conversed fairly often and she was used to him occasionally lapsing into his only thoughts for a while. While they didn’t specialize in the same branch of entomology they did have a shared interest of insects.

“Dr. Shurley,” Cain greeted. “Apologies but I seem to have missed that last remark.”

“Lost in thought or just bored by the mind numbing pointlessness of these things?” she asked.

“Both I suppose, although there is the occasionally chance one might come across the potential for a decent conversationalist.”

“Like yourself I’d suppose?”

“I wouldn’t sell yourself short if I were you. Anyone who dares to view you as no more than just a pretty face will be in for the surprise of a lifetime.”

“If only I was your type,” Hannah teased.

-

“This is boring,” Dean complained.

“This is a meet and greet. Behave,” Cass chastised lightly.

“Fine. I need a drink for this though. Be right back.”

Castiel started to protest but Dean was already gone. Hopefully they wouldn’t have to stay long. Dean could hold his alcohol but he did occasionally become a bit ‘flirty’ for lack of a better term. Castiel would rather not have to worry about explaining that before term even began. With a heavy sigh he went off in search of Dean. Before he managed to get to far he was stopped by another professor. Castiel resisted the urge to groan. Small talk really wasn’t his strong suit.

As it turned out, the person that stopped him was a professor of economics. While econ wasn’t exactly one of his favorite topics he was able to follow the basics of the conversation. After all, he had helped his brother when Michael was studying to become an accountant. It wasn’t precisely the same thing but at least it did give him some information to draw from when formulating a response. Just a few more hours he reminded himself. These kinds of get togethers were as much his thing as they were Dean's so they would both be glad when it was over and they could finally go home.

-

It was at least another twenty minutes before he was able to free himself and by then he really needed a drink. The other professor talked so fast it was hard to excuse himself from the conversation; or say much of anything really. The first conversation wasn’t that bad because he’d had a basic working knowledge of the topic. Photography, while interesting didn’t fascinate him quite that much. Castiel's mind started to drift away just after film, negatives, film positives, and plates for printing, and his eyes scanned the room. When he couldn’t spot Dean he frowned slightly.

The room wasn’t actually that big. The large mirrors on the walls helped give the illusion that the room was bigger than it really was though, so that was nice. They also made it seem as if there were double as many people and that was a bit off putting. Castiel never had done well with larger crowds. Still, he only had to get through a few hours of this before he could finally leave. He could do that. Attempting to avoid glancing towards the mirrors he kept his eyes cast mostly downward as he went off in search of Dean.

He should be able to find his on-again-off-again boyfriend somewhere. For lack of anything better to do he made his way over to the table where the drinks were set. He reasoned if he waited nearby eventually Dean would show. Hopefully he would be able to appear suitably busy and avoid any further conversations. Yes, he was supposed to be getting to know the others present but he also wasn’t really much of a ‘people person’. He really wished he knew where Dean was right now so there was at least one person he knew close, so he could use them to avoid any more conversations like the photography one.

As he waited he inspected the room further. The dark, almost chocolate like, carpet was offset by beige colored designs. He found he actually quite liked the it. It made the room look more ‘homey’ than it might otherwise have looked. Smiling softly to himself he continued his inspection of the room. The faux chandeliers were obviously plastic but tasteful. He found he rather liked the look they added to the room. As he waited he snagged a glass of whatever they were serving so he at least ‘looked’ like he was participating in the goings on even if it was kind of a farce on his part.

-

As he listened to his colleagues ramble on and on about the same inane topics as always Cain’s mind wandered. The department of entomology was always under represented at these events. As such Cain was always left listening to conversations on a range of topics he had absolutely no interest in discussing. At least this year Hannah had decided to put in an appearance. Whatever happened at least he wouldn’t have to suffer alone. Besides, if he got too bored he could always go find her brother. Balthazaar was always good for an interesting conversation. He would have to deal with the overly flirtatious attitude but that was a small price to pay for not having to converse with most of the others present.

Currently though, Hannah was busy talking with another group of professors on the opposite side of the room. Cain huffed an exasperated sigh and fought against the urge to roll his eyes. Really what had he expected? It wasn’t like he was being a very good conversationalist tonight. Shaking his head he turned around and reached for another glass when his hand accidentally brushed against another. Startled out of his inner thoughts he turned to apologize but stopped short. For what seemed like a single, eternal, second he couldn’t help but stare at the most brilliant pair of sapphire colored eyes he’d ever seen. Finally he realized he was staring and tried to refocus his attention.

“Excuse me,” the other muttered appearing quite uncomfortable.

“Entirely my fault,” Cain replied. Unable to keep his hands still he turned and snagged one of the glasses off the table. Turning he offered it to the other man who took it without actually meeting Cain’s eyes. “I’m Cain by the way,” Cain said introducing himself.

“Castiel,” the other man answered.

“Like the angel?” Cain asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Castiel replied his eyes slightly widened in disbelief. “It was my, uh, my mother’s idea. She named us all, my brother’s and I, after angels from the bible.”

“What did your dad think about that?”

Castiel shrugged. “I don’t know really. He was always busy at work so he wasn’t around very much.

You know,” Castiel began, finally meeting Cain is eyes, “Cain’s from the bible as well.”

“My father’s idea actually,” Cain told him with a smile. “But my mother didn’t really seem to mind.”

“Really?” Castiel asked sounding intrigued.

“Yeah, she was always a bit of a free spirit anyways. Kind of what most people would call a hippie I suppose. She was very big into living with nature to help protect the Earth. I guess you could say she’s the reason I chose this occupation. I teach entomolgy but I specialize in melittology. That’s the study of-”

“Bees,” Castiel finished for him.

Cain could swear Castiel's face had brightened considerably.

“Yeah, actually. I just got used to most people not knowing that.”

Castiel grinned. “Tell me about it. Not to mention the looks people give when you try to talk to them about it. It’s not the most popular discussion topic.”

“Tell me about it,” Cain agreed.

“Do you actually keep bees?” Castiel asked.

“Yes actually,” Cain admitted. “I find it fairly relaxing. Do you?” Cain asked intrigued.

“I’ve never lived in a place where I could do it. Plus I’d like to learn more about beekeeping before I attempt it. I haven’t actually taken a class for it or anything. I’ve just done some basic studying on my own.”

“Whenever you’re ready I could help you with what you need to know if you’d like,” Cain offered.

“That would be nice, Mr…” Castiel trailed off looking at him expectantly.

Cain laughed. “It’s Knight but you can just call me Cain. I don’t even use my last name in the classroom. Besides if we’re going to be teach on the same campus I figure we should at least be able to use our first names. By the way, what do you teach?”

“Me? I teach theology, focussing mainly on world religions. I know, I know. Pretty dull stuff.”

“Not really,” Cain disagreed. “I mean, world religion is fairly broad so it doesn’t go into as much detail on things as other courses but it is still pretty interesting.”

“My dad really doesn’t approve of it. He would rather I became an accountant and worked for the family business. I actually did take a few classes for that but that was boring.”

“Accounting,” Cain said in mock disgust wrinkling his nose. “They make good money I suppose but that really would be boring.”

“Tell me about it,” Castiel agreed with grin.

-

The conversation flowed so easily that Cain didn’t even initially realize when Hannah returned. It wasn’t until there was a brief lull in their conversation and she made one of her patent cheeky remarks that he noticed her. To tell the truth it was a bit embarrassing but talking with Castiel was just so engrossing it was easy to ignore everything around them. After her remark Castiel had almost reverted back to his shy attitude. Cain knew better though. Nobody stayed that way long with Hannah around. Before too long the three of them were discussing a wide variety of topics easily switching from one to another.

And that’s when it happened.

In retrospect Cain should have known this was too good to last. These types of get togethers never went well for him. Still, he didn’t think he would have ever expected what did happen. Usually the problem with these events was that they were boring. This was something altogether different. When he was mid sentence, from out of nowhere there was a loud commotion that caught the attention of the entire room. He could hear voices, but he couldn’t make out who was yelling at who. Before he had a chance to recognize anyone Hannah spoke up and said something that caused him to frown.

“Is that my brother?” she asked.

Cocking his head slightly he listened a bit more. “It does kind of sound like him,” Cain agreed with her.

“I knew I should have been keeping a closer eye on him!” she huffed. “I better find out what he’s done now.”

She started towards the source of the commotion when Balthazaar and another man stumbled into view. Both of them were dishevelled. Balthazaar was minus his suit jacket and the other had his shirt buttons almost completely buttoned up wrong. Only one button near but not quite at the bottom of the shirt was till buttoned right. The other man, who Cain just now realized as the one Castiel had come with, bumped into a pedestal with a vase on top of it.

The pedestal wobbled precariously and for one fleeting moment Cain was worried the vase was going to fall. It probably would have to if it hadn’t been for Balthazaar, Hannah’s brother. It didn’t matter how much he drank that man always had amazing reflexes. Balthazaar reached and righted the pedestal and vase before either had time to fall and crash to the ground. Cain shook his head. Hannah was going to be a terror to work with for probably a week if not even longer. For once he was glad he and Hannah didn’t actually work in the same department. If he was lucky he would be able to avoid her until she calmed down or something else captured her attention.

“Dean?” Castiel whispered.

Barely hearing the soft words Cain turned to face him. He winced the second he saw Castiel’s expression. Somehow he had managed to forgot Castiel was dating someone. He didn’t even want to think about what Castiel must be feeling about the scene before them. It was then that the full weight of everything finally dawned on him. He had to fight the urge to groan. Somewhere during the conversation he had started to like the guy. Cass was smart, funny, easy to talk to, and really good looking. Figures the first time in several years he actually found someone he liked and they were already taken.

“Balthazaar!” Hannah snapped. “Here? You really had to do this here of all places?”

“Technically speaking little sis I didn’t actually do it out here. In my defense I went out of my way to find a nice, quiet-”

“Not now,” Hannah fumed. “Okay, you know what? Just pull yourself together and get ready. We’re leaving.”

Suddenly the other man seemed to lock eyes on them. Cain turned and spied Castiel still staring seemingly completely stunned at the scene. As he stood there watching Castiel he could hear footsteps approaching; slowly at first then speeding up as they neared.

“No,” Castiel said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The approaching footsteps stopped dead almost immediately.

“Look, I can explain. See, what happened was-”

“What happened, Dean, was you got caught. Again.”

“You make it sound like this happens all the time,” Dean huffed.

“Because it does,” Castiel stated flatly.

“Hey I didn’t even want to come here in the first place,” Dean stated defensively. “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d let me stay home like I wanted.”

“You lied to me and said you weren’t in a relationship,” Balthazaar countered.

“And you didn’t double check,” Dean shot back hotly.

Cain winced and turned towards Balthazaar. Hannah’s brother might be fairly free with his affections but even he had standards. One thing he would never do, though, is mess with someone who was already taken. Flirt? Yes. Anything more than that, not so much. If he had known the other was in a relationship he would have found someone else. Cain glanced back over to where Castiel and Dean were standing all but nose to nose with each other now as Dean had moved closer.

.

“Enough,” Castiel fumed. He had been through this too many times already. Every time before he had always forgiven Dean. It was time to face the truth that Dean was never going to change. He couldn’t live like this, in a relationship like this, any longer. Something was going to have to give. As much as he hated the very idea he knew what he had to do if only for his own piece of mind. Taking a deep breath he braced himself for the inevitable. It wasn’t going to be pleasant but it had to be done.

“You,” he said turning to Balthazaar, “I don’t blame. You’re not the first person he’s used this way.” He turned to glare at Dean, “You on the other hand I do blame. As far as I’m concerned we’re done.”

“Oh come on,” Dean scoffed. “Don’t be like that. You know how I am.”

“Exactly,” Castiel agreed. “I do know how you are which is exactly why I’m breaking up with you. I know you don’t respect our relationship, I know you can’t be trusted when you’ve had a few too many, I know you don’t know how not to cheat. So yes, I’m ending this before you have a chance to convince me to give you another opportunity to betray my trust once again.”

“Cass-”

“No, I’m done. With everything. Enough is enough Dean, just leave.”

“Be reasonable Cass. We came here in the same car. If I leave-”

“I am being reasonable. Don’t start pretending to be worried about me now. Besides I can just take a taxi when I’m ready to go home. Just go Dean. It’s not like you’ll have any problems finding someone else to take my place.”

“You’re upset. It’s understandable under the circumstances but-”

“Under the circumstances I think you should leave,” Castiel retorted. “Now.”

He didn't let Dean talk him into to giving him another second chance. He knew himself well enough to know that given enough time he’d fall for whatever excuses or promises Dean made and he couldn’t let that happen. This time he was going to have to stand strong and hold his ground. He couldn’t let himself fall once again. For a long while all was silent. Finally Dean’s face set into a scowl.

“Fine,” Dean growled. “Stay here, what do I care?”

Turning on his heels Dean stalked off towards the exit. Cass watched him until Dean opened the door, strode through it, and the door finally closed behind him. It wasn’t until then that he even realized he had been holding his breath. Inhaling deeply Castiel held the air in his lungs for several long seconds before finally expelling it. He took a second deep breath and repeated the process. Sadly the process did nothing to alleviate the heavy tension in his shoulder muscles causing them to ache painfully.

Had he really just broken up with Dean? Like, for real this time? Sure they’d called it quits several times before but it had never felt this… final. The more he thought about it the more the tension in his shoulders seemed to melt. He hadn’t realized just how relieved he would feel. Sure he still had feelings for Dean but now he didn’t have to worry about how long it would be until they would have their next fight. Just that thought alone was soothing.

“I would like to apologize,” said a voice just to his left.

The voice broke into his inner thoughts and abruptly brought him back to the current situation at hand. Slowly Cass turned to face the other. Tall, toned, and blond he was exactly like the type Dean usually went for after he’d had a few too many. It made Cass wonder what exactly Dean saw in him. Cass was nothing like the people Dean cheated on him with nor any of those Dean had dated before they got together. Sometimes it felt like his only purpose in this relationship was to provide a bar upon which to measure other potential partners and somehow he always seemed to come up short.

“Don’t worry about it,” Castiel muttered.

Turning he reached over to the table and snagged another glass. He was definitely too sober for this crap. Hopefully this would blow over and everyone present forgot that any of this ever happened. He doubted he would get that lucky, but he could at least hope.

“I would like to apologize as well,” the woman named Hannah began. “Normally my brother has better sense than to-”

Castiel waved off her remark before she could finish.

“Said it’s fine,” he huffed.

He really wanted nothing more than to forget the last few minutes of tonight as if they had never happened. To that end he raised the glass and drained it. When he was done he frowned at the glass before setting it aside and grabbing another full glass.

.

Cain frowned. The entire exchange left him feeling more than a little disconcerted. It was clear that this sort of thing happened on a fairly regular basis. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. What he was sure about was that any amount of alcohol right now was probably only going to make things worse in the long run. As much as he wanted to say something about it he knew it wasn’t his place. All he could to was wait, watch, and hope for the best.

-

Several drinks later, he hadn't bothered to count how many, Cass was finally starting to unwind and feel more like himself. Well okay, a little more clumsy and a bit more lightheaded than normal but close enough. He was actually feeling pretty good at the moment. The conversation hadn’t returned to the easy light-hearted banter they’d initially had but it was still pleasant. Hannah was actually quite nice if a bit more boisterous than Castiel's normal conversation partners. It was different than his previous conversation with Cain but no less interesting. He could see why she and Cain would be friends.

He still wasn’t sure what to make of her brother Balthazaar. He was prepared to dislike the other man on general principle. Who makes out with someone at a workplace meet and greet? Not only that it was his sister’s workplace. Still, if the other was to be believed, he usually didn’t fool around with anyone in a relationship. Cass found he actually believed the man. That only made him feel worse. Instead of being the only person harmed by Dean’s actions now there was another, mostly innocent, person affected by those actions.

Before he could dwell on those thoughts for too long he grabbed another glass from the table and drained it. Eying the table intently he carefully lowered the glass towards it only to have a hand close lightly over his wrist. Lifting his gaze he spied Cain watching him; a concerned look causing the area between his brows to crinkle. For some reason this caused Cass to frown. It seemed that there were vastly more ‘worryline lines’ in that face then there were ‘happy lines’. Almost as if the other man didn’t smile anywhere close to enough. He was just starting to ponder the implications behind that when he realized Cain had spoken and he’d missed the actual words.

“Sorry?” Cass asked trying to refocus.

“I said allow me,” Cain repeated.

“Oh. If you insist then.”

Cass was sure he could manage setting the glass on the table but Cain was closer. He allowed Cain to gently take the glass and place it on the table. As he watched the table wavered slightly and Cass realized he actually might have had a bit too much to drink. Perhaps he should go home soon.

“I can give you a lift if you would like?” Cain told him.

For a moment Castiel stared at him slightly confused before realizing he must have spoken out loud. Cass groaned. Okay so definitely had too much to drink. Honestly he shouldn’t be that surprised. As rarely as he drank it didn’t take much.

“I wouldn’t want to trouble you,” he told Cain.

“No trouble. Besides, I don’t like coming to these things anyway. It’d give me a valid reason to duck out early.”

“If it’s really no trouble,” Cass stated carefully.

“It would actually be doing me a favor. When you leave there won’t be anyone interesting to talk to here.”

“I see how it is,” Hannah replied with a slight smirk.

Up until quite recently she had been caught up in a conversation with a group of other people nearby. Before that she’d been conversing with a different group completely on the other side of the room. She was definitely one of the more social people he’d met tonight. While he had enjoyed the time the they’d spent conversing he didn’t begrudge her conversations with the others. It gave him time to converse Cain in a more one on one setting which was nice. He was busy trying to figure out if the warm fuzzy sensations he felt when they talked were caused from the alcohol or not when Cain continued speaking.

“You, my lady, are a social butterfly. It would be wrong of us to monopolize you and keep the others from enjoying your company. Not to mention we wouldn’t be able to stop you if we tried,” he finished, a small smile playing at his lips.

“You know me too well,” she answered grinning. “And I know you.” She turned to face Cass more directly. “And knowing him as well as I do means I know he’s probably been itching for a reason to leave. You’d be doing him a favor if you really don’t mind. If you still want a cab though I’d be happy to call one for you.”

“If he really doesn’t mind then I’m okay with riding with him.”

-

By the time they reached the apartments Cain was glad that he’d asked for the address when they first entered the truck. Castiel didn’t exactly passout but neither was he fully cognizant either. By the time they actually pulled up in from of the apartment Cain was a bit apprehensive. After everything that happened at the reception he wasn’t sure about leaving Cass here in case his boyfriend was still angry.

“So, uh, are you going to be okay?” he asked hesitantly.

Eyes fluttering open Castiel cocked his head slightly and peered upwards at him looking a bit confused. The sight of Castiel slouched in the passenger seat of his truck sleepy and a bit tipsy was adorable. Cain had to remind himself not to get too attached. Even if Castiel and his boyfriend didn’t resolve their issues he would need time before even thinking about jumping into another relationship.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Castiel asked drowsily.

“I just meant… you don’t think your… partner is going to be too upset?”

“Oh,” Castiel said dismissively. “He’s probably not even here. Knowing Dean he most likely found a bar to go drinking at and hooked up with someone else. He’s probably at their place. Even if he didn’t go find someone else to hook up with he probably just went back to his place to sulk,” Cass grumbled before finally sitting up in his seat. “Sorry, I don't mean to complain. You probably don’t want to hear about this crap. I’ll just let myself out.”

Cain watched as Castiel fumbled for the seat belt latch and shook his head.

“Here, I’ll get that,” he offered.

Reaching over he clicked the button releasing the seatbelt. Resisting the urge to smile Cain unbuckle his own seatbelt and got out of the truck. Walking quickly around the front end he opened the passenger door only to have Castiel half fall out of the truck. Cain barely managed to catch him time. Carefully he helped Castiel to his feet. With an arm wrapped loosely around Castiel's waist the two of them staggered to the apartment door. Cass managed to extract the keys fairly easily but had a few problems actually inserting the key into the lock. Cain reached up and helped guide his hand.

When the lock was finally disengaged Cain hesitated only slightly before helping to maneuver Castiel inside. He didn’t know what he expected but the style was very Castiel. The coloring was mostly white and beige with a bit of pale blue strategically placed accenting the color scheme nicely. Almost like his eyes, Cain’s mind told himself. Cain shook his head to clear it before continuing to help Cass. There were still a few boxes with meticulously printed words indicating where their contents belonged pressed against the far left wall. Ignoring the boxes for now Cain waited to see which way Castiel would head. Instead of heading for the only hallway, which Cain assumed led to where the bedroom was located, Castiel made his way to the couch instead. Cain gently deposited the other man onto the couch and took a step backwards.

“Are you going to be okay there?” he asked.

“Mm hm,” Castiel hummed. As lay down Castiel snagged the pale blue throw blanket draped over the back of the couch. The blanket pooled on top of him and he shifted a bit until he was comfortable. Shaking his head Cain reached down and straightened the blanket until it covered Castiel better.

“Thanks,” Castiel murmured sleepily before burrowing under the blanket until his nose and eyes were the only things that were exposed.

If he wasn’t absolutely sure Castiel was at least half asleep before the words even left his mouth Cain might have replied. Instead he double checked that the blanket covered the other man, placed the keys on the coffee table, and headed for the door. Without a key he couldn’t engage the deadbolt but he turned the lock on the doorknob and closed the door quietly all the while unconsciously smiling softly to himself.

-

Castiel woke up the next morning with the worst headache he’d had in as long as he could remember. He didn’t spend long thinking on the last time he had felt this bad. Instead he shoved himself upright into a sitting position and groaned. Even though the sunlight streaming through the curtains was heavily filtered it was still almost too much. Squinting against the brightness Cass reached down and untangled the blanket from around his legs. As soon as he was able he turned, placed his elbows on his knees, and dropped his face into his hands.

Pretty soon he was going to have to get up and find some aspirin or something. When he finally felt able he stood up and slowly made his way to the bathroom. While he’d unpacked almost everything since moving here some small things still remained boxed waiting for him to find the time to get to them. The items that belonged in the medicine cabinet were one of the few things still left to unpack. Without turning the light on Cass felt for the sink counter and fumbled around until he finally found the small box. Untucking the flaps he popped the box open and dug through its contents. There was just enough light coming through the open door to penetrate the dimness of the bathroom for him to identify the items.

When he found the aspirin he popped open the bottle, shook out two pills and, replacing the cap, he dropped the bottle back into the box. Turning on the tap he bent forward and quickly drank several gulps of water before popping the aspirin into his mouth. Once they were down he placed both hands on the counter and leaned forward letting his eyes slide closed. This, he thought. This is exactly why I don’t drink. He realized he couldn’t spend too long feeling sorry for himself. There were things he needed to get done today. Just as he righted himself there was a loud knocking on his door. Wincing Cass resisted the urge to curse at whoever was at the door. Instead he resigned himself to interacting with whoever was here and hoped it wouldn’t take long.

Trudging into the living room he opened the door without bothering to check who was knocking. He winceded instantly as the bright sunlight of the morning hit his eyes. Squinting he peered out of the door, instantly tense. Of course it would be Dean. Groaning inwardly Cass turned around and headed back for the bedroom. He didn’t have time to deal with this drama, he needed to start getting ready. Pretty soon he was going to have to head to the campus and get started setting up his room so it would be prepared for his first day. Ignoring Dean, Castiel made his way to the closet to find something to wear. Unsurprisingly Dean followed him.

“So you’re not even talking to me?” Dean asked.

“Nothing to talk about,” Castiel muttered under his breath.

Dean entered the tiny closet taking up most of the remaining room and making it difficult for Cass to sort through the clothing. Wrapping his arms around Castiel’s waist he nuzzled the side of his neck. Cass almost let himself relax into the gesture before remembering what happened the night before.

“Not happening,” he grumbled as he maneuvered his way out of Dean’s embrace and returned to finding something to wear for the day.

Dean huffed a sigh of annoyance. “I said I was sorry,” Dean huffed.

“You’re always sorry,” Cass shot back without turning around.

“It won’t happen again, promise.”

“That’s what you say every time Dean.”

Dean opened his mouth to say something else but before he could there was a knock at the door. Dean eyed him suspiciously and Castiel frowned. Aside from Dean he had no idea who might be visiting him. Pushing past Dean he made his way to the front door. This time he did remember to check through the peephole in the door and his breath caught. For a moment he couldn’t remember the other person’s name before it came to him. Cain. He glanced behind himself and eyed Dean. He tried to decide whether or not he could just make a polite excuse and close the door. Probably not thought disgruntled, sighing mentally. Dean would never just let this pass. Besides, there was a good chance that he too remembered Cain from the previous night.

“Sorry to drop by unannounced, I was just-” Cain began.

Cain stopped dead and Castiel knew it was the moment Cain finally spotted Dean.

“It’s fine, I was already awake,” he sighed. “I was going to go in today to get my room set up and ready for the first day.” Cass paused but Cain merely shifted uncomfortably. “Why don’t you come in?” he offered.

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything,” Cain replied diplomatically.

“It’s fine,” Cass answered turning back to glare at Dean. “Besides, Dean was just leaving, weren’t you?”

Dean glared at him silently for several seconds. Cass almost thought Dean would stubbornly refuse to leave and strike up yet another argument. Instead of responding he stalked past Cass out the door. Cass fought against the urge shake his head and instead waited to see how Cain would react. After a brief hesitation Cain finally entered the apartment and Cass closed the door and waited.

“I honestly didn’t mean to interrupt anything,” Cain repeated after several seconds of quiet.

“You weren’t, trust me. Dean just doesn’t know when to leave things alone. You showing up just gave me a reason to ask him to leave.”

Cass pressed his lips together in an attempt to keep from saying anything else. He figured he had already said too much. There was no way complaining about Dean would help his probably already low reputation in the other professor’s eyes. Why me? he wondered.

“Well normally I wouldn’t be doing something like this but I didn’t see a car that could be yours when I dropped you off last night,” Cain stumbled.

Castiel frowned but ultimately elected to ignore the awkwardness of it.

“I actually figured you might want to take care of a few last minute preparations. I, uh, was just wondering if you might like a ride.”

Blinking in confusion Castiel tried to formulate an adequate response.

“Unless you wanted to walk. Or, well, made other arrangements,” Cain continued on hurriedly. “A lot of people like walking so…” Cain trailed off seemingly at a loss for words.

Cass thought about it. Would he like a ride? He had picked these apartments because they were close enough to walk to the campus just for the occasions he knew Dean would flake out and he would be left without a ride. As awful as he felt this morning it actually would be nice not to have to walk today. Consequently if he did ride with Cain he could also do a little digging to see if he’d embarrassed himself too badly last night.

“If you have time that would be nice,” he accepted. “If you don’t mind waiting a bit I still have to change real quick.”

“I’m not in any rush. There’s a few things I want to finish organizing in my own classroom but that shouldn’t take long. Also I brought coffee but I left it in the truck. I wasn’t sure if you’d be awake or even here.”

“Oh. I, uh, don’t actually drink coffee. Sorry?”

“Actually I don’t really drink coffee either. I just got it because it seems to be everyone else’s choice for morning beverages. I prefer hot tea personally.”

Castiel stopped mid stride and turned around surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Cain shrugged. “I don’t know, I’ve just never really liked coffee.”

“Me either. It’s always tasted bitter to me no matter how much sugar I put in it.”

“I use honey I’ve collected from my bees.”

“That sounds amazing. I use honey as well but I’ve never had fresh honey before.”

“I have plenty extra if you’d like to try some,” Cain offered.

“Sounds great. Let me get changed and I’ll be right out.”

-

Truth be told it was actually nice not to have to walk to the campus. Cass wasn’t really much of a drinker and as such he was unused to the resulting hangover. The sunglasses he wore were a pair that Dean had accidently left after helping Cass move into the apartment. Though they helped, the tea Cain offered helped more. Cass had to admit that fresh honey was actually better than store bought. Maybe if things worked out well Cain would let him purchase some of the extra honey he collected from his bees.

“This is really good, thank you,” Cass told Cain.

“You’re welcome,” Cain replied smiling.

From behind the shades he eyed Cain carefully, frowning slightly. The lack of ‘laugh lines’ cause him to wonder just how often the other man actually smiled. Castiel was trying to decide if he should ask about that when Cain said something. Having been lost in his own thoughts Cass missed the words had to asked Cain to repeat himself.

“I asked how you like it here so far,” Cain repeated.

“Oh. Well I haven’t actually been here that long. It seems nice so far though. I’ll have to check out more of the city when I get some time.”

For a while Cain was silent and then, “Let me know when you get time and I’ll show you around,” he offered.

Castiel thought about that for a moment. It might be nice to have a local show him around town. With how angry he was at Dean right now that, more than anything else, that’s what finally decided him.

“I think I’d like that,” Cass agreed.

As Cass had chosen the apartment for its close proximity to the campus the ride was understandably short. They pulled into a parking spot and Cain killed the engine. Exiting the truck Cass made his way to the front of the truck and met up with Cain.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

-

Sitting at his desk Cain tapped the end of his pen against its surface. He was taking things too fast and he knew it. It had been a long time since he’d felt a pull like this. The problem was there was no way Cass would feel the same, especially not this soon. He tried to figure out how he had fallen so fast for what essentially amounted to a stranger. Finally he gave up trying to understand everything and opened the top drawer of his desk. Reaching far into the back of the drawer he withdrew a small framed picture.

The only person he could remember falling for instantly had been dead for over three years now. Of course he’d had a few relationships throughout that time but none of them had been serious. He just couldn’t seem to really fall for anyone after Colette died. A freak accident on a slippery road the cops had said. At the time all that mattered to him was that she was gone and never coming back. Raising his left hand he pinched the bridge of his nose.

The last few years had been an uphill struggle. If it weren’t for his friendship with Hannah and her brother he didn’t think he would have made it through half as well. After Colette's death he had all but shut down. Hannah had been the only person who could get him to eat or leave his house. If it hadn’t been for those two he would probably have quit his job and become even more of a recluse. He would always be grateful for their help. Dropping his hand away from his face he stared at the picture still loosely held in his right hand.

“What am I going to do?” he asked the picture.

-

Finally finished, Cass sat down behind his desk and inspected the room. Everything seemed to be in its place and ready for tomorrow. Pulling out his cellphone he checked the time before staring at it for a while. Normally around this time he would call Dean to see if they were going to meet up for lunch or not. Since he wasn’t anywhere near over being angry at Dean he knew there was no way that was going to happen. Scowling he pocketed the cell. It’s not like he was all that hungry anyway. Maybe he should just head back to his apartment? He had just about decided that was the best course of action when Cain walked through the door.

“How’s everything going?” Cain asked as he entered.

“Uh, good I suppose,” Cass answered confused. “I wasn’t expecting a second visit.”

Cain shrugged. “It’s lunchtime and I was hungry. I figured you might be as well. I just came by to see if you wanted to join me.”

The more Castiel thought about that the more he liked the idea.

“Yeah sure,” he agreed. “Just let me get my stuff together and I’ll be right with you.”

-

Lunch had been pleasant enough. In fact as neither of them had anything else to do for the day they spent hours just talking. Most of the subjects they discussed were lighthearted and trivial but still interesting. It had been a long time since he’d been able to discuss things he was passionate about with another person. Dean’s interests didn’t usually coincide with his and he was often left scrambling for something to say. That didn’t seem to be a problem when he was conversing with Cain. Sooner than he would have expect the sun seemed to have crossed the sky and was getting ready to dip below the horizon.

Cain had offered to give him a lift back to his apartment and Cass had accepted. On the ride home he found himself smiling for no reason. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been able to converse with someone so easily. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. On one hand it felt wonderful but on the other hand he almost felt like he was betraying Dean. But then, they weren’t actually together anymore, were they? So technically he should be free to talk with whoever he want to, shouldn’t he? Turning his head he faced the window so he could roll his eyes without being seen by Cain.

“So are you planning on getting a car?” Cain asked breaking into his thoughts.

“No. I can drive but I don’t really like it. I prefer walking or biking whenever possible. I picked my apartment because it’s close to the campus and there’s a store nearby.”

“Still a long way to carry groceries or anything heavy,” Cain observed.

“Mm,” Cass hummed agreeably. Castiel shrugged. “I’ll manage somehow. Maybe I’ll invest in a bicycle someday.”

“Mm,” Cain hummed back noncommittally. “Well here we are,” Cain announced pulling up in front of Castiel’s apartment.

-

Opening the door Cain stood for a while just staring into the shed. It had been a long time since he’d been in here. Mostly the shed was full of junk he had yet to get rid of but there were still a few useful items inside. He flicked on the flashlight and finally entered. Carefully he made his way past the stacks of boxes piled neatly inside the small building. Somewhere near the back he finally found it. A small smile played at the corner of his lips as he readied himself for a long, but hopefully appreciated, night of work.

-

Cass awoke groggy but happy. Mornings never were his strong suit but some days were better than others. Luckily today was one of those days. He shoved the covers back, slung his legs over the side of the bed, and yawned as he stretched. Since it was his first day, not only teaching here but also ever, he was glad he’d woken up well this morning. It was a vastly better alternative than how he normally woke. Yawning once more he stood and made his way to the bathroom so he could begin getting ready.

He stopped at the sink and brushed his teeth first. By the time he was done brushing he was slightly more awake and cognizant. Adjusting the tub faucet he finally found the perfect water temperature and stepped into the shower. He washed as quickly and efficiently as he always did before stepping out of the shower and drying himself. When he was done he hung the towel and made his way back into the bedroom. He was glad he’d already set out what he was going to wear so he didn’t have to find something. He hated picking out clothes. When he was finished getting ready he snagged his keys and headed for the door.

The second he opened the door a small dark form rushed past him and into the apartment. Startled, Cass jumped in surprise involuntary dropping the keys. Turning around he saw a thin black cat sitting calmly in the kitchen area staring at him almost expectantly. Sighing in relief he reached down and snagged the set of keys before righting himself.

“You can’t stay here,” Castiel told the cat.

The cat opened its mouth in what could best be described as a yawn, stretched, walked around in circles a few times, and then laid down on the floor. Cass sighed. There was no way he could oust the animal without feeling guilty. He didn’t have much that would be safe for feline consumption but there were a few things in the apartment. Walking to the fridge he withdrew a package of sandwich meat and opened it. Withdrawing a bowl from his cabinets he placed the sandwich meat into it and took a few steps back.

The cat rushed the bowl and began scarfing down the meat. Castiel smiled. It had been a long time since he’d owned a pet. Dean, of course, hated animals. Cass had to get rid of his cat he’d had since childhood because Dean had claimed allergies. By the time Cass had learned that wasn’t true it was too late to retrieve his baby. Meg, his cat, had been adopted by another person and the adoption records were not very informative.

“Pretty kitty,” Cass stated lovingly. Reaching down he lightly scratched behind the cats ears a few times. The cat seemed to purr at the praise while it continued to consume the sandwich meat. “Who’s a good kitty?” Cass murmured still petting it.

The cat sat back on its haunches and stared up at him inquiringly. Castiel shook his head and returned to his own thoughts. He had to get to the campus before he was late. But what did he do with the cat? He didn’t have a litter box or know if the cat was even litter box trained. He was going to have to put the cat outside. Sighing he resigned himself to removing the cat from the apartment. If the cat was going to hang around the apartments for a while he might just invest in some cat food for it.

For now all he had to give it was more sandwich meat. Snagging another package he grabbed the now empty bowl and headed for the door. The cat followed him as he exited the apartment. Setting the bowl down just outside of the apartment Cass thought back on everything that happened lately. While everything seemed to be going well it also seemed like his life was spiralling out of control.

His thoughts flitted back to the night of the event. He honestly couldn’t believe things had turned out this way. No, that wasn’t quite true. He actually could believe that Dean would get drunk and sleep with someone there. That was just Dean. If Cass didn’t pay attention Dean would get himself into all kinds of trouble. At this point their relationship felt more like a job than anything else. Maybe their break up really was for the best. Shaking his head he glanced down to the kitten still hastily scarfing up the food before heading to work.

-

The day went well Cass supposed. Well, as well as could be expected. There weren’t many that chose to take this class out of shear interest. Most students only seemed to attend this class because certain majors required it. Inevitably, at least in Castiel’s experience attending these classes, a few students in every class spent most of their time sleeping through the lecture. Overall he seemed to have pretty attentive students. He was feeling rather good about everything.

As he gathered his things to leave for the day he heard someone enter. Glancing up he caught sight of Cain and smiled. He still didn’t know exactly how he felt about about the other man but it was a nice feeling. Once again he cautioned himself about falling too fast. Cain leaned against the doorframe and cocked his head slightly.

“How’d the first day go?” he asked.

“Not bad. Better than I expected honestly. Not too many people fell asleep on me and a few of them even took notes.”

“Not bad,” Cain agreed.

“So listen, I wanted to apologize again for what happened the other night.”

“Don’t worry about it. There wasn’t anything you could have done.”

Cass pressed his lips together. He wasn’t sure if he believed that. He could have not insisted Dean attend the event with him. That might have prevented a few things. And with their history he really, really, should have known better. Still, it didn’t feel right to dump his problems on this man. For all intents and purposes they were still basically strangers.

“So I really appreciate you giving me a ride home.”

Cain shook his head and waved off the the thank you. “It’s not like anyone else wouldn’t have done the same thing. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. In fact, I know Hannah would have given you a lift if she wasn’t busy with… er, her brother,” Cain finished awkwardly.

Cass could almost feel himself blushing. He had actually managed to let himself forget that the person Dean had been caught with was a coworkers brother. Oh God, how was he ever going to recover enough to face her again if he saw her around the campus? He resisted the urge to groan and cover his face with his hands.

“So… If you didn’t have anything planned I was thinking maybe we could get something to eat. I know a few good places around here. I mean, if you’re not busy.”

Cass thought about it. He wasn’t really busy but did he want to go out on what could be considered a date with someone he barely knew? He still wasn’t quite sure where things stood between he and Dean. He told himself he should probably play it safe and say no. It was boring and safe but it was how he’d done things his whole life. Cass almost scowled at that. Safe. And just where had that gotten him? Safe hadn’t worked so far so maybe he should accept.

“ Sure, why not?,” he agreed, surprising Cain and even himself.

-

As surprising as it was Cain was glad when Cass accepted his offer. It had been a stupid spur of the moment question. He never actually expected Cass to agree. Now that he had Cain was momentarily stunned. It wasn’t until he realized Cass had spoken that he realized how long he’d just been standing there staring.

“Sorry?”

“I was just asking if I should get changed first,” Cass repeated.

“Oh. No, if you’re comfortable then it’s fine. I wasn’t really think of going anywhere particularly fancy.”

-

It was another two days before Dean showed up once more. Cass told him yet again he wasn’t ready to forgive. He felt horrible. It was technically true but it was a half-truth. It wasn’t that he was ready to forgive just yet, but rather he was confused. Dean was his true first love and it was difficult to let go of that. The problem was Cain. Dean may have been his first love but Cain got to him like no one else ever had before.

Cass was torn. He didn’t know which way to fall. After all, there was so much he still didn’t know about Cain. What he did know he definitely already liked. Castiel shook his head to clear it. He couldn’t let himself fall back into that line of thinking. He needed to be logical. That was the problem. He wasn’t generally a logical person. He usually went with his feelings and that definitely wouldn’t work in this situation. He needed to be more logical in his decision making process this time.

-

Cain paced. He knew this was a stupid idea but he was still hard pressed to talk himself out of it. He knew he was moving too fast but it had been forever since he’d ever been this smitten with a person before. And then there was the ex. Who was there to say he would stay an ex? No one, and he knew that. For all he knew they would get back together again. This was a horrible idea. He needed to forget about Cass completely.

The problem was he just couldn’t. Everything about Cass struck some chord in him that he could neither identify nor ignore. Damn it. As much as he knew he needed to back off there was no way he would be able to actually do it. Maybe if he just spent enough time away from the other the connection might fade? Maybe, he thought. He really didn’t want to bet on that happening though. And so Cain paced.

-

“What could you possibly be without being in a relationship?” Dean asked loudly. “You’re nothing without someone else and you know it!”

“Excuse you?”

“You’d probably be stuck in that crappy little town, working for your family, and-”

“And what?” Cass demanded. “Not be in a relationship when I get cheated on constantly? Be back home working for my family instead of stuck in a town where I don’t know anyone else?! Just because I decided to do something different with my life doesn’t mean I don’t support my family Dean.”

“I wasn’t saying don’t support them. I was saying nothing ever happens there; nothing ever changes. I said I was sorry about the cheating! Are you ever going to let that go?!”

“Maybe some people like consistency and stability!”

“Maybe some people don’t!” Dean retorted.

“Maybe some people just don’t belong together!” Cass shot back.

“Maybe you’re right!” Dean snapped.

Turning on his heals Dean stalked to the door, opened it and slammed it behind himself as he left. For several long moments Cass merely stood there staring at the door. After a while he slumped down onto the couch and let out a heavy sigh. That could have gone better. He gave an unhappy snort at the thought. Actually that was pretty tame as far as arguing with Dean was concerned. Usually it went much worse.

Bringing both hands up he scrubbed his face briskly. He was so tired of this. It was a never ending cycle and he hated it. Determined to think on something else for the moment he decided to focus on his next class instead. He was already pretty prepared but it never hurt to double check everything. With another sigh he grabbed his lesson planning folder off the coffee table and flipped it open as he got comfortable.

-

Three long hours later and Castiel was ready to finally admit defeat. Dropping the folder onto his lap he reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He really needed to find a distraction. Something to take his mind off everything if only for a little while. Yawning he raised his arms and stretched. When he was finished he dropped his arms and slumped back against the couch. Before he could get too comfortable there was a knock on his door. Frowning he stood up debating whether or not to answer.

It was probably Dean again and he really could do without another argument so soon after the last. Oh well, he thought. Best to get this over with sooner rather than later. Slowly he stood, trudged over to the door, and looked through the peephole. He was shocked when it wasn’t Dean he spied through the small hole. Cain stood just beyond the door attention focused on something just off to the side and out of view. Confused but also pleasantly surprised Cass finally reached out and opened the door. As the door opened a small dark form raced into the apartment darting between Cass’ legs and headed straight for the kitchen.

“I was wondering if she’d come back,” Cass stated amused.

“Yours?” Cain asked.

Cass actually thought about that for a while. Did he consider her is cat? Slowly he shook his head. Finally he shrugged. “Not exactly. She’s kind of her own cat. She pretty much just comes and goes as she pleases.”

“Sounds like a cat,” Cain agreed nodding thoughtfully.

“So what’s up?” All of a sudden Cain shuffled slight and looked a bit embarrassed. Cass was intrigued. He was curious about what might cause such and uncertain reaction from a seemingly unflappable person.

“I, uh, got you something.”

Finally he seemed to regain his composure, at least a bit, as he nodded back towards his truck. Curious Cass followed him as they made their way to the back of the truck. Cain stopped a few steps away and nodded once more. Glancing into the bed of the truck Cass spied a bike; bright yellow with black handles and accents.

.

Cain watched, slightly apprehensive, as Cass walked a few steps towards the truck and and took in the bike sitting in the truck bed. After hearing that Cass didn’t drive Cain hoped the gift would be appreciated but he couldn’t be sure. He really hoped he wasn’t overstepping some unspoken boundary. When Cass turned around the smile on his face caused most of the tension in Cain’s shoulders to melt somewhat. At the least he wasn’t upset. That much of it at least was good right?

-

It was several days until either of them had time to talk again. For his part Castiel was swamped with students coming by for extra help in his classes. He had no idea what kept Cain busy but he was so overwhelmed that when the other professor did show he was almost instantly relieved. With an unconscious smile Cass remained silent and waited to see why Cain was visiting. Silently Cain walked through the room inspecting things.

“So…” Cain began.

Cass continued to wait.

“I was wondering…” Cain shuffled a bit. “If maybe you might…”

Cain looked so uncomfortable Cass had to let him off the hook.

“I would love to go out with you.”

Years of dealing with Dean had given him more courage than he might otherwise have had at any other time. The best way to deal with this situation was to get straight to the point without beating around the bush. So not Cass’ strong suit. And yet he was willing to do it for reasons he didn’t quite fathom.

“I… um…”

Cass shook his head and stood. “It’s fine. I,” Cass hesitated. What if he was wrong? “I know what you mean,” he continued in a rush. If he was wrong…

“How are you always so perceptive?” Cain quarried

Cass didn’t know how to respond to that.

“You always know what I’m thinking,” Cain mused.

-

After who knew how many dates and days pinning for Cain, Cass couldn’t help it. He couldn’t keep his mind off of Cain. In spite of whatever his mind continued trying to tell him emotions kept overriding any form of logic. It was oddly… He pause trying to come up with the best word for the feeling. Freeing, he thought finally. Cocking his head he pondered that. Yes, freeing seemed to fit perfectly.

So much of his life he’d spent cautiously weighing and measuring the pros and cons of each choice before making a decision. It was nice to just ‘go with the flow’ this time and not to agonize over each and every aspect first. It was nice not to have to worry and fret and actually just roll with everything. Sometimes things didn’t work out according to the original plan but that usually led to pleasant changes.

All in all it hadn’t actually been that long. Still, it had been long enough that he’d had to avoid Dean a few times. That did make it a little uncomfortable. Still, he really wanted to make sure he had his thoughts, and feelings, as organized as possible before having to deal with that conversation. Sooner rather than later, though, he was going to have to actually deal with Dean. He really couldn’t keep postponing the conversation.

-

Not two days later he didn’t have the ability to postpone any longer. Of all the things to forget, the fact that Dean could pick locks was something he should definitely have remembered. Too little too late, he supposed. All in all it actually went worse than most of their arguments. Laying atop his bed Cass groaned and dropped his face into his pillow. Perhaps he should start cleaning his apartment but he really wasn’t up to that just yet.

The argument was common enough. They yelled at each other. Dean threw things. Castiel cleaned up the resultant mess. The cycle repeated. He was so tired of this. Why couldn’t life be normal for once? Sighing in resignation he realized that this was normal for them. Maybe he really should let this be the end. Every time before he would apologize, despite whether or not it was his fault and the whole cycle would begin again. Perhaps it would be for the best if he just left things alone this time and moved on with his life.

-  
…  
-

It was several weeks later, and while things hadn’t exactly gone smoothly he and Dean were finally done for good and Cass was working on moving forward with his life. He had his job, Poly the cat came by regularly, and as always there was Cain. He rode his bike to the campus in the mornings, taught, ate lunch (mostly with Cain), taught more, finished a few trivial things, and then biked home. Occasionally he would get adventurous and bike around various areas of the town just exploring. The town wasn’t that big and he soon learned his way around fairly well.

It wasn’t until almost two weeks after he completely ended things with Dean that he almost had a panic attack. Looking back on things it was actually stupid to panic but it really didn’t seem so at the time. At the time it seemed like a perfectly logical response to panic. It was Sam. And honestly he should have known better. Sam has been his best friend for as long as he could remember so he should have known his visit wasn’t the portent of something more dire or evil. Yet that was, of course, the first thing that had come to mind. That Sam was angry about how things had ended between Dean and Cass and was here to do something about it even if it was only just to end their friendship.

-

Opening the door Cass ducked his head unconsciously. He had an idea why Sam was here this time. He might not be right but even if he was wrong he was sure it couldn’t mean anything positive. Normally he welcomed visits from Sam. This time, however, he was anxious and nervous. After having just broken up with Dean, Cass was worried that was the reason Sammy was here now. In retrospect he should have known better even though he was still partially right.

“I brought pizza and beer,” Sam stated as soon as the door was opened.

Cass continued to stare uncomprehendingly.

“I mean,” Sam faltered. “That is, unless you don’t want company. I mean,” he continued trying to backpedal. “If you don’t want company-”

“No!” Cass almost yelled, words finally making it past his lips. Licking his dry lips he continued. “I mean… I mean, that is…” he trailed off and stared at his long time friend pleadingly.

“Move,” Sam ordered with an exasperated but friendly smile.

Castiel had never felt so understood. Without saying a single word Sam had known the problem and decided on a course of action when Cass couldn’t even form a sentence. For the longest time Sam had been one of his only friends. Cass had always found it difficult to talk to others so making friends never came naturally to him. In moments like these he was eternally grateful for Sam never giving up on him. Moving aside Cass let Sam into the apartment. They had stayed up most of the night talking, Sam naturally drinking more of the beer than Cass.

-

Sitting in his small apartment Cass sipped tea from his mug and thought about the way his life was unfolding. He lost the person he thought he would grow old with, gained -he still wasn’t sure what Cain was yet-, and landed his dream job. Things could be worse. All in all everything was actually going fairly well. Being who he was of course he couldn’t stop himself from envisioning the worst. Still, it refrained from manifesting. Cass was honestly perplexed at the entire situation but he was happy.

-

Of course it was too good to last. Well, it might right itself in the future but for now he had no clue how to feel. Of course it was Dean. It was always Dean. Cass bad been doing amazing until he heard a knock on his door one day. That knock had turned out to be Dean who had, of course, immediately barged into the apartment.

“What the fuck Cass?” Dean shouted.

“What now?” Cass asked tiredly as he closed the door.

“You’re breaking up with me? Like seriously?”

“You knew we’ve been broken up for a while now,” Cass countered.

“And so you decided to instantly start seeing someone else?” Dean countered.

Oh dear heavens he wanted to face palm so much. He knew better though. Dean would read something completely different into it and start an argument. Okay, fine. Another argument beyond the current one. Cass merely stared at his ex. 

“Is that really you’re only reason for coming here?” he quarried.

“What?” Dean asked seemingly confused.

“I asked,” Cass began, dropping his hand from his face and lifting his head, after doing the exact thing he had cautioned himself about seconds ago, “if that is that the only reason you came here? If the only reason you came was to argue then you can just leave.”

Dean stared at him completely stunned. In Dean’s defense Cass couldn’t actually blame him. Cass wasn’t usually so assertive so there was no reason he would be used to it. Still, he had to reign in a sigh. As much as he was sure they were finished he also didn’t want to do anything to hurt Dean unnecessarily. That just wasn’t who he was.

“What the hell’s gotten into you lately?” Dean asked.

Shaking his head Cass began to pace. Stopping briefly he started to answer only to close his mouth and return to his pacing. There literally wasn’t a good answer to that. No matter what he said it would be wrong. How did you answer a question like that?

“Look. I just don’t think we work well together,” he said finally. “Perhaps it’s better if we’re not together. Maybe this is for the best in the long run.”

Dean’s glare faltered slightly before settling in once again even more firmly than before.

“What is it you want, D?” Cass asked.

“No, you don’t get to call me by any nickname,” Dean insisted.

Cass really did roll his eyes then. That was Dean’s biggest worry? Not anything else more substantial? “Nicknames D? That’s all you’re concerned about?”

“Of course not,” Dean argued. Seemingly struggling he appeared to be fighting for another argument. “You aren’t this person,” he finally declared.

Cass stared at Dean in complete confusion.

“What?”

“You aren’t this person,” Dean reiterated. “You’re… You’re…”

“I’m me,” Cass contended.

Dean shook his head and returned to pacing. Finally he stopped pacing and slumped down onto the couch. His head drooped slightly as his fingers fidgeted lightly against the couch’s left armrest. For a while the only sound that cut through the silence was the soft sound of Dean’s fingernails scraping against the fabric of the armrest. Finally the fingers splayed out across the arm and stilled.

“I get it you know,” Dean said quietly.

Cass could only stare in confusion.

“I’m not the best relationship partner. I know my faults. It’s just that sometimes…”

“Dean,” Cass intoned slowly. Without raising his head Dean held up a hand in a clear gesture for Cass to wait for a moment. Perplexed Castiel stopped talking and waited. He had no idea where Dean was going with this and wasn’t so sure he wanted to know. For now though he would let Dean continue. He could always cut in and stop him later. After several moments of silence Dean finally resumed speaking.

“I don’t know why you’ve stayed with me this long but I do appreciate it,” he said softly.

“We’re not together anymore,” Cass reminded him, his voice soft but firm. Dean winced slightly and even though the gesture caused Cass a pang of regret he couldn’t back down on this. He had to stay firm No matter what happened later on he knew wanted more out of any future relationship. Slowly Dean raised his head and finally met Cass’ eyes.

“I’m willing to work on being better. I just… I can’t…” he trailed off. Sighing heavily he raised his hands to rub his face briskly before dropping them both back into his lap. “I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered.

Chewing on his lower lip Castiel resisted the urge to simply give in and forgive Dean once again. It would be easier for now just to forgive and move on but it would make things harder in the long run. The ever repeating cycle of their relationship had to end. The sooner the better, for both of them.

“I just can’t do it anymore, Dean,” he finally conceded sadly.

-  
...  
-

It was a difficult few months but with each passing day things got easier. The students were more attentive than he could have expected given the subject matter. When he had been getting his own degree most of his fellow classmates had slept through the classes. That was, if they’d even bothered to show up at all. It was surprising but also encouraging. All in all he was pretty happy with how things were going with his teaching.

He was also pretty happy with how things were progressing with Cain as well. The bike had been an amazing gift. He was able to buy more groceries at a time because he didn’t have to carry the bags in his arms the whole way home. Rather, he could place several bags in the basket mounted on the back of the bike. It also saved on travel time which was nice. That meant he didn’t have to wake up as early to get ready every morning.

Everything was going so well it was making him nervous. And yeah, maybe part of him was still waiting for the other shoe to fall but that feeling was fading, albeit slowly. It was becoming easier to believe things might just actually work out well for once. Sitting at his desk he absentmindedly tapped the end of a pen against the stack of papers in front of him. He didn’t notice the unconscious smile slowly spreading across his face. Yes, things really did seem to be shaping up for the best. One more class and then he could go home and get ready for his date with Cain later. The sound of someone nearby clearing their throat startled him and caused him to jump slightly. Looking up he was happy when he noted it was only Cain.

“Sorry,” Cain told him with a slight grin. “I just figured you could use this.”

Cain held out the travel thermos he was holding and Cass took it with a smile. He knew enough to know that it didn’t contain coffee. Cain knew him better than that. Inside the cup would be hot tea flavored with just the right amount of honey. It was nice being with someone who had taken the time to learn his preferences just to surprise him. Pulling the mug closer he wrapped his hands around it to feel the warmth of it seeping into them. While the building was warm enough it was cold outside.

“Thanks,” Cass said sincerely. “I didn’t have any time between classes to get something myself so I really appreciate this.”

“I figured you might,” Cain stated affectionately with smile.

Cass gave a small half smile of his own before leaning forward and tilting his face upward slightly. Still smiling Cain leaned down and gave him a quick peck. Unfortunately it wasn’t quick enough. While they were mid kiss a loud noise resounded causing them both to jump in surprise. Jerking his head to the doorway Cass saw one of his students standing in the doorway staring at them in shock. Andrea, if Cass remembered her name correctly. The loud noise had been the sound of books she had been carrying hitting the floor. Cass groaned in embarrassment. Before he could even try to explain she broke into a grin.

“About time,” she stated happily, beaming at them.

Cass could only stare in confusion at that remark.

She let out a hearty laugh and shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she told them when she finally stopped laughing. “I don't mean to laugh, it’s just that you two are like the worst kept secret ever. Pretty much everyone in class is betting on when you two would make it official.”

Groaning once more Cass wished he could spontaneously disappear. Surprisingly Cain laughed. Baffled Cass cocked his head in Cain’s direction.

“You find this funny?” he asked.

Cain shrugged, eyes still full of mirth. “I mean, here we are being careful and trying to keep everything quiet and they’re all betting on us getting together. You don’t find that funny?”

Just then two other students walked into view and stood in the doorway slightly behind Andrea. She turned to face them and Cass watched the scene nervously. He really had hoped to keep his personal and professional life separate. He didn’t know what he would do if she told everyone about his and Cain’s relationship.

“Sorry,” she said brightly. “Dropped my stuff. One sec.”

As she knelt down to gather her things the other two knelt down to help her.

-

Leaning sideways he snuggled against Cain getting more comfortable as he reached for another handful of popcorn. Both of them trended to enjoy the classics much more than they did the newer movies. Though they’d seen Casablanca several times before they both also really liked it. This was the perfect movie for a relaxing evening because while they both loved it they also knew it well. It meant that if they wanted to talk about anything or even just pay attention to each other they wouldn’t miss anything they hadn’t seen before. For now, though, they were resting against each other and lazily watching the screen.

While he was watching the movie part of his mind was also on other things. Never once had he thought his life would turn out this way. He had to admit it was nice though. Curled up next to someone he cared for watching a good movie. Did life get any better? Mmm, possibly but did it matter? Glancing sideways he had to smile. As if he could feel Cass’ eyes Cain turned to face him and Cass’ smile only grew.

“What?” Cain asked, obviously amused.

Cass shook his head. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about everything.”

“And?” Cain questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

“And nothing,” Cass answered. “I was just enjoying the moment. You know?”

Smiling Cain wrapped an arm around Cass and snuggled closer. “Yeah,” he replied. “I know.”

Happily Cass sighed and relaxed into the moment. Later the movie would end. Later he would have to get up and go home. Later he’d need to get some sleep so that he’d be rested before he had to get up and go into work. That was a worry for later though. For now he could afford to take the time to ignore everything else and just enjoy this moment. He almost wished everything could stay just like this forever. Maybe one day though, he thought.

-  
…  
-

Yawning Cass stretched as he woke. For a while he merely lay there letting the sun shine softly against his eyelids. As he lazed there idly a small smile slowly formed. Everything was so peaceful he didn’t ever want to move. From just to his left he felt the bed shift and his smile grew. Finally he opened his eyes and turned and waited. If he was right Cain would be awake within minutes. Probably sooner.

Yawning himself Cain rolled his neck. Cass shook his head at the gesture. He couldn’t help but be happy with they way things had played out. Never had he envisioned things would ever turn out this way, least of all for him. Somehow, though, they had ended up not only together but also happy. It was such a strange development in his life that Cass didn’t bother to question it. Whatever happened, happened.

-

“Why do I even have to wear a tie?” Cain complained.

“You know why,” Cass huffed indignantly.

“Not really,” Cain admitted. “I actually really only wear them for you. Ask my students if you don’t believe me. It’s not until a day I’m taking you out that I ever bother to wear one.”

“Well you need to wear one for today,” Cass grunted still straightening Cain’s tie.

“Why?” Cain grumbled.

“Because I want you to?” Cass asked.

He deftly resisted the urge to take a step backwards. This was Cain, he reminded himself. If this had been Dean… Cass shook his head. It was best not to dwell on the past more than could be avoided. Cain was definitely not Dean. He had no reason to worry. Still he almost couldn’t stop. Finishing with the tie he did finally take a step backwards and inspected his handiwork. It looked good even if he said so himself. Dropping his head he eyed the ground warily and waited for Cain’s appraisal.

Oddly Cain took his hands and turned to face him. The happiness he saw shining in his love’s eyes was almost too much. It was rare to see that much appreciation directed at him and it made him nervous. He might almost prefer Dean’s displeasure over this look of love. Almost, but still not quite completely.

“So,” Cass stammard. “It’s, okay?”

Cain faltered. Cass wasn’t too stupid to notice but he didn’t say anything. There was no way that Cain cared for him with the same amount of love but that was fine. He was used to it by now and could deal. He needed to let go of that fantasy. There was no such thing as true love and if there was there was no way it would ever be directed at him. If he could let go then they could just-

“You have no idea how much I love you, do you?” Cain asked.

Cass blushed. Nothing he’d ever experienced had prepared him for this. After all he’d only ever been with one other person in his life. His experiences had been a little bit limited to say the least. He honestly had no idea how to deal with so much open affection. He opted to remain silent for now and wait to react. Cain raised a hand and placed it lightly against Cass’ cheek. Lightly he rubbed his thumb across Cass’ cheekbone while staring at him with no small amount of curiosity.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Cain whispered.

Cass shook his head lightly. He honestly didn’t want to move his head too much. Too much movement might cause Cain to remove his hand and Cass definitely didn’t want that. In spite of Cass’ wishes Cain grinned and dropped his hand.

“You’re literally one of the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m not about to let that go no matter what. Okay?”

Still not really understanding Cass silently nodded his head. As much as he didn’t understand it he could accept it. Open affection without having to earn it was such a new concept he didn’t know what to do with it but he could definitely appreciate it.

-  
…  
-

After three years he figured he knew his boyfriend well enough to predict him. Obviously he was wrong. Nothing could have prepared him for the after graduation party Cain had planned out and surprised him with this year. Obviously as teachers they weren’t the ones graduating but that didn’t mean they didn’t need to be present at the ceremony. Cass always hated it. He loved teaching and he definitely loved when someone was truly interested in the subject matter but he never understood why it was that the teachers had to be present at the graduation ceremony. Castiel wasn’t very comfortable in social gatherings and was always grateful when they were over and he could finally leave.

By mutual agreement they’d decided that the day after graduation, rather than an actual date, was their anniversary. Cain usually plotted out some kind of get together with their closest friends as he was better at that sort of thing than Cass. There were things Castiel was better at and he usually took the lead on those things. It actually worked out well. No matter what the situation one of them always ready and able to handle it. Just the thought of it brought a smile to Castiel’s face. They actually made quite a good team. Cass turned his head both ways inspecting those present. He was going to have to send a lot of ‘thank you’ notes was his only thought at the time. That was, until Cain wrapped his arms around him and kissed him. After that all logical thought fled his mind.

“You were saying?” Cain asked.

“Mmm, was I?” Cass retorted.

Cain chuckled and Cass grinned. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought his life would turn out like this. That didn’t mean he wasn’t grateful though. As surprising as it might be Cass was eminently grateful for everything. He didn’t realize he was laughing to himself until Cain called him on it.

“And just what’s so funny?”

Cass was quick to hide his amusement. It was hard to completely negate the past. How to explain? He didn’t actually have the words for what he was thinking. He shook his head hoping Cain would understand. To his great relief Cain actually did seem to understand.

“It’s fine baby,” Cain whispered. “You’ll always be my little bee no matter what. Okay?”

Nodding Cass couldn’t help but smile. That nickname never failed to get to him. Unable to banish the grin he widened his smile. Still shaking his head he continue to smile broadly at Cain. What to say to his boyfriend, he didn’t know. Luckily he didn’t have to worry. Cain kissed him again and all ideas of conversation fled.

-  
…  
-

Cass couldn’t have stopped himself from smiling even if he tried. Luckily for him he didn’t have to do that. Sam was there to give his hand a squeeze and Cass smiled even more broadly. Sam had always been his biggest cheerleader and best friend. Almost everything was perfect and he could have continued being happy until he turned and saw Dean. His breath caught in his throat and he froze. If there was one person he wasn’t prepared to deal with it was Dean. Thankfully, at least in his mind, Sam placed an arm around his shoulders. Cass did his best to relax into the touch and let the tension melt away.

“He’s doing better,” Sam whispered in his ear. “I think your break up helped if that helps anything.”

Cass shook his head. It was difficult for him to express how he felt about Dean. He didn’t know quite how to put his feelings into words so he didn’t try. Luckily he didn’t have to worry about that with Sam. His best friend always seemed to know what he needed to say even when he couldn’t form the actual words.

“Dean’s good but you should be more concerned with your boyfriend,” Sam uttered quietly into his ear. “Cain loves you.”

“I don’t understand why,” Cass whispered back, hesitantly. He honestly never understood what it was Cain saw in him. He was grateful for it though.

“The why isn’t important,” Sam assured him. “What is important is that he loves you.”

Cass couldn’t help the grin that played across his lips. That much was true, he supposed. He had to give credit to Sam for that much. Still… He glanced over to where Dean was standing and paused. No matter how long he stared nothing happened. Maybe he really was over his ex? His eyes strayed across the others present until he caught sight of Cain. He sighed happily and relaxed more than he thought possible. He might never get over his first love but Cain was his now and he was happy. More so than he ever thought possible.

“How are you? Really?” Cain asked quietly.

“Happy,” Cass answered honestly.

“Cass?” Dean called.

Cass winced and turned to face his ex. He wasn’t sure what to say so he remained silent for the time being. After several seconds Dean finally spoke.

“Hey,” he stated simply.

Cass clenched his jaw and held back the more acidic responses. They couldn’t help and could only hurt. Especially now. “Hey,” he muttered.

“I get it,” Dean replied. “We don’t actually have the best past. Maybe it’s because of that I just wanted to let you know I wish you the best,” Dean murmured thoughtfully.

Castiel frowned and eyed Dean warily.

Shaking his head Dean finally locked eyes with Cass and held his gaze. “You were and always will be the best thing that ever happened to me. I never would have learned how to be worth a decent relationship without you. You know that right?”

Stunned speechless Cass could only shake his head.

Dean gave another self-deprecating smile before responding. “Without you I wouldn’t have learned how to treat those I…” he hesitated briefly before continuing. “How to treat those I love,” he finally finished.

Of course Sam had told him about Dean’s new girlfriend. Not knowing how he to feel about that information Cass had pretty much refused to think about it. He knew a few of the basics but not much. Since nothing good could come from dwelling on the past he mostly elected to ignore it as much as possible. Still, he had to know…

“You really love her?” Cass queried.

“I do,” Dean agreed before hesitating once more. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I should have been better while we were together.”

“It’s fine,” Cass attempted to negate.

Dean shook his head. “It’s really not but I understand. Cass? I… I’m sorry.”

There was a million things Dean could be apologizing for but did any of it matter? Cass smiled. No. Well, not really. It was enough that Dean was a better person. It was enough that he was willing to better himself for whomever he might date next.

“Dean?” Cass inquired.

“Yeah?” Dean answered cautiously.

“Thank you,” Cass whispered.


End file.
